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TRACK REVIEW: ‘All The Stars’ – Kendrick Lamar (ft. SZA)

It seemed the year was starting strong for the entertainment industry as a whole following the announcement that the soundtrack of what could well be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, Black Panther, would be produced and curated by none other than Kendrick Lamar, along with Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith. The announcement came with the potential of a fabulous soundtrack with a strong and cinematic vision, something that Lamar’s work has become celebrated for. The first cut from the soundtrack, however, but a bit of a hesitant asterisk on that potential.

It isn’t that the trick is bad necessarily, it is instead a solid R&B/pop track. Employing the vocal of R&B star SZA for the hopeful and optimistic chorus, Lamar raps about defiance and strength in a verse that satisfies a certain itch but lacks the depth that many have become accustomed to with Lamar’s work. The production is slick and polished as is the writing, both providing little to disgust but little to delight at the same time.

Overall the track is an inoffensive track that would be expected of a project of this nature if it weren’t for the pedigree of the talent attached to it.